Firs Estate
The Firs Estate was a council estate located in the larger Bromford estate in the north-east area of Birmingham. Constructed in the late 1950s, it occupied former semi-rural floodland south of the River Tame. The land, which was punctuated by pools and pits, was drained and mostly levelled. It was one of three estates merged together to form Bromford, the other two being Upper Firs and Bromford Bridge. The Firs Estate was initially the name given to Site B of land in the Hodge Hill area that had been set aside for residential development, with Site A being the Upper Firs estate. However, upon the completion of both estates, the 'Firs' name was applied to both. Plans for the Firs Estate were approved in 1957 and included the proposals for the construction of dozens of semi-detached and terraced homes and, in northern corner of the site, five 8 storey tower blocks. These were located closest to the River Tame, which had had its course reconfigured to allow for the planned construction of the M6 motorway, which today forms the northern edge of the site. The buildings were constructed by Stubbings using the Trucson construction method and the estate was completed in 1959. Due to the site's proximity to the river and a lack of consideration during construction of how to accommodate for the damp land, the tower blocks began to suffer from severe rising damp. The ground floor flats could not be let due to regular flooding and some buildings experienced subsidence. As a result, all the tower blocks, several homes and the Stagecoach pub were demolished. Most of the housing was located on a slope, and does not suffer from the problems that affected the towers. Today, the site of the towers remains as wasteland with the original road network around the towers left as it is. It has become heavily wooded. Bromford tower blocks Bromford Bridge - 10 tower blocks * Chillinghome Tower - 20 storeys - demolished 2005 * Bayley Tower - 20 storeys - demolished 2011 * Stoneycroft Tower - 20 storeys - demolished 2011 * Warstone Tower - 20 storeys * Holbrook Tower - 20 storeys * Bridge Meadow House - 13 storeys * Hollowmeadow House - 13 storeys * Jordan House - 13 storeys * Kingspiece House - 13 storeys * Thistle House - 13 storeys Firs Estate - 5 tower blocks * Oregon House - 8 storeys - demolished 2001 * Sylvester House - 8 storeys - demolished 2001 * Lebanon House - 8 storeys - demolished 2001 * Douglas House - 8 storeys - demolished 2001 * Spruce House - 8 storeys - demolished 2001 Upper Firs - 5 tower blocks * Pine House - 8 storeys - demolished 2005 * Firs House - 8 storeys - demolished 2005 * Cedar House - 8 storeys - demolished 2005 * Larch House - 8 storeys - demolished 2005 * Juniper House - 8 storeys - demolished 2005 Category:Birmingham Category:Council owned housing estates Category:Demolished housing estates